Equipment needed for Mr. Beer 2.5 gal AG batches

I've got an old (but still complete) 2.5 gal Mr. Beer kit, as well as everything needed for 5 gallon extract batches. I want to try some 1/2 sized (2.5 gal) All Grain batches as described towards the end of the Mr. Beer sticky in the beginner's forum.

Besides a nylon grain bag and a 2 gallon cooler with spigot, is there anything else that I would in addition to the extract-based equipment that I already have?

As long as your getting crushed grain (obviously you would) that should be about it. Let us know how it goes. Although I am going to have to advice you just get the 5 gallon cooler now because your going to love it and buy one anyways!

BuffaloSabresBrewer said:

As long as your getting crushed grain (obviously you would) that should be about it. Let us know how it goes. Although I am going to have to advice you just get the 5 gallon cooler now because your going to love it and buy one anyways!

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That's what I was thinking, but then I'd need a bigger pot for boiling the wort, and probably a wort chiller, etc. This way I can still use my ~3 gallon pot and use the laundry sink filled with ice water to cool the wort. I figure with current equipment plus the 2 gallon cooler I can practice twice for each 5 gallon ingredient kit.

all I used, as you can see by the pictures was a 2 gallon cooler, folding steamer, grainbag, rubber band and a pot large enough to boil approximately 3-3.5 gallons down to 2.5. A funnel and a strainer is a good idea, it will help keep the gunk from the bottom of the kettle out of your fermenter...The rest of the stuff you would use is standard brewing equipment...i.e. a hydrometer.

Ut oh, I wonder if my pot will be large enough for that. I think it's only around 3 gallons total.

I did one in a 3 gallon pot. I used 1 gallon for mashing, 1.5 gallons for sparge, and topped off to 2.5 gallons in the fermenter.

I'm thinking of doing a double IPA in the Mr Beer for winter. That way, the hops won't require me to sell jewelry or take out a loan at the bank.

- Eric